So because I simply don't have access to wetmount scanning at the moment I went ahead with the photoshop, so at least I'll have something clean to present in the meantime.

And I did it! Also taught myself quite a bit of photoshop in the process

I thought I'd share my process in case anyone else here ends up with the same problem.

1) worker 11811 I can't thank you enough! Your history brush with the noise and dust filter worked magic on the initial scatches. I also used healing brush in content-aware mode for spots where it didn't quite fit in, which also worked out quite nicely.

2) after getting all the bright white scratches out, I ended up with a lot of blotchiness, particularly in the sky. So I used this tutorial: http://www.phong.com/tutorials/mask.tree/ to remove my tree and ground from the sky.

3) I put my sky on it's own layer to make the new background. With just the blotchy sky, I took the mixer brush, and set it to wet. I set it to a gigantic diamater (about a quarter of the sky) and went across the top in one sweeping horizontal stripe. Then I went down and did another horizontal stripe below it, continuing until the sky nice and even.

4) I then placed my tree/ground back over the new sky. It took quite a few tries to get a nice clean cut tree... that tutorial is pretty tough when you have as little photoshop experience as me!

5) I used a small blur tool to soften the final tree outline, to make it blend more smoothly with the new sky.

6) I used worker11811's history brush, as well as the healing brush in content aware mode on the final spots on the ground.

7) I used unsharp mask (or sometimes the 'sharpen' or 'sharpen more' filter) to clean up any remaining blurry spots image.

I also discovered that noise ninja is a really great noise removal plugin.

*note that I was lucky not to have clouds in the sky! If you do, I imagine you'd have to do the same thing with them as with the tree.

I'd say I'm satisfied with the final result, and glad I learned a little photoshop as well! I'll be doing wet mount scans and potentially giving the original negs a run on an enlarger when I get a chance, but for now at least I've got something to show for them. Thank you guys for all your suggestions! [ATTACH]Attachment 37037[/ATTACH]

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Last edited by angrykitty; 07-16-2011 at 07:19 AM. Click to view previous post history.

Many years ago, someone made a liquid that could be wiped onto the negative that would sort of heal over scratches. I do not know if it is still available or not. However, Fluid scannin does much the same thing with that fluid one uses for that process. Try fluid scanning.

Edwal No Scratch, I have seen that save the day many a time on some major scratches when forehead grease just wouldn't cut it. Also there was a process that was used on larger scale in a wholesale lab I worked at that was like a more permanent coating, but I don't remember where they would send it for that process.

Edwal No Scratch, I have seen that save the day many a time on some major scratches when forehead grease just wouldn't cut it. Also there was a process that was used on larger scale in a wholesale lab I worked at that was like a more permanent coating, but I don't remember where they would send it for that process.

Can I ask, is the neg underexposed? I have seen these kind of exaggerated dust and scratch effect appearing when scanning very underexposed film: by trying to bring detail and contrast to a normal level, scratches and dust is accentuated!

also I can see it in the tonal gradation in the sky (uneven light to dark blue)

Can I ask, is the neg underexposed? I have seen these kind of exaggerated dust and scratch effect appearing when scanning very underexposed film: by trying to bring detail and contrast to a normal level, scratches and dust is accentuated!

also I can see it in the tonal gradation in the sky (uneven light to dark blue)

Cheers

The neg is exposed perfectly... the problem is the film scanner. It's a primefilm 3600u, which is very outdated and has a tendency to overexpose anything you put in it. I have to compensate for this by manually changing the exposure callibration... as well as color levels and contrast... but even on auto scan the scratches are just as prevalant. The scanner has no ICE, so it will always enhance scratches... which then throw off it's exposure levels due to all the bright white. The rolls that have no scratches come out fine, however the scanner simply can't handle this kind of damage